With Shinwa member Lee Min Woo joining the ranks as the fourth married man among the members, attention has focused more on the members' recent lives than on the bride and groom themselves.
On the 29th, Lee Min Woo held a wedding with his wife, Ms. Lee Ah-mi, at a location in Seoul. The ceremony was held privately, inviting only families from both sides and close acquaintances. The ceremony was hosted by Shinwa members Junjin and Andy, and the congratulatory songs were sung by singer Gummy and Zion.T, blessing and supporting Lee Min Woo's future.
Before the wedding, Lee Min Woo married Ms. Lee Ah-mi, a third-generation Zainichi Korean 11 years his junior, and became the father of two children. Ms. Lee Ah-mi was raising a 6-year-old daughter from her previous marriage before marrying Lee Min Woo, and in December last year she gave birth to a second daughter with Lee Min Woo. Lee Min Woo became the father of two daughters—the 6-year-old daughter he adopted as his own and the newborn daughter—and became a "dad" before holding the wedding.
Many colleagues from the entertainment industry attended to celebrate Lee Min Woo's wedding, and the members of Shinwa drew particular attention. Along with hosts Junjin and Andy, Eric and Kim Dong Wan attended, showing strong loyalty.
Two days after the wedding, Lee Min Woo's wedding is still drawing attention. However, the focus has shifted: what is drawing attention is the members' recent lives rather than Lee Min Woo himself.
The first member to draw attention was Eric. With Eric, Junjin and Andy having become married men before Lee Min Woo and attending the wedding with their respective wives, Eric drew attention for appearing with the son he had with actress Na Hye-mi. Although the son's face was not shown, Eric's doting-father side was evident as he held his son tightly in his arms.
The second member to draw attention was Shin Hye-sung. Shin Hye-sung drew more attention by not attending Lee Min Woo's wedding. At Andy's wedding, Shin Hye-sung underwent surgery on both legs for a torn cruciate ligament and, despite not being in good condition, defended his loyalty to the members by wearing a hat, so his absence from Lee Min Woo's wedding became a bigger issue.
Shin Hye-sung has been keeping a low profile since being caught on drunk driving charges in October 2022. Because he was also booked for drunk driving in April 2007, the criticism was louder, and Shin Hye-sung was sentenced in the first trial to six months in prison with a one-year suspended sentence. The prosecution appealed, but the court upheld the original judgment and neither Shin Hye-sung nor the prosecution filed an appeal, making the sentence final. After that, Shin Hye-sung disappeared from the public eye. After reports last October that he was preparing to sell a building in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, his absence from Shinwa's 28th anniversary and Lee Min Woo's wedding has raised further questions.
Kim Dong Wan answered fans' questions about Shin Hye-sung's whereabouts. Kim Dong Wan left a pointed remark, saying, "Why do you keep attaching meaning to the choice to live quietly? It's that person's life. He doesn't owe anyone an explanation or a debt of explanation." Kim Dong Wan, who was previously criticized for remarks seeming to defend MC Dingdong amid a recent controversy over assaulting a female streamer, drew attention again with this pointed remark.
Meanwhile, Shinwa debuted in 1998 and this year marks their 28th year since debut.
[OSEN]